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To enhance seamless digital integration of Dubai’s infrastructure as global technological advanced city, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will let all electric vehicles (EV) owners to use Green Charger services when they register their EVs at the Roads and Transport Authority Dubai (RTA). DEWA will also instantly create an EV account for them once registered. The new service enables EV owners (commercial and non-commercial) to charge their vehicles at more than 300 DEWA EV green charger stations across the Emirate.

The total number of hybrid/electric taxis and limousines in Dubai amounted to 4,683 in 2020, according to Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the board of executive directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

In its effort to build efficient solutions for developing an aerial transport network in Dubai, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with French mobility specialist MND, a leading company in the ropeways industry.

Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE's national railway network, has signed an agreement with Transportr to provide a complete digital rail freight solution that will complement Etihad Rail’s range of convenient, efficient, and sophisticated technologies.

The EV Green Charger initiative, launched by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), provides a network of electric vehicle chargers across Dubai, supporting the efforts of offering innovative and sustainable transport solutions as part of the Dubai Green Mobility Strategy 2030. This also contributes towards carbon emission reduction in the transportation sector.

ekar, the Middle East's first and largest personal mobility company, has partnered with CarPro, a sophisticated car rental fleet management platform. This collaboration enables car rental and leasing companies from over 40 countries to digitally rent more than 500,000 cars via the ekar platform.

Abu Dhabi Ports has announced the acquisition of 11 new specialized refrigerated vehicles by its subsidiary, MICCO Logistics, which boosts its local final-mile vaccine delivery capability to over 1.1 million vaccine doses per day.

Emirates Airlines customers who have undertaken a PCR test in Dubai can choose to check-in without presenting their physical COVID-19 PCR test report. Moreover, customers who have received their COVID-19 vaccination at a Dubai Health Authority (DHA) health centre in Dubai can, together with their COVID-19 PCR test results, have their documents synchronised during flight check-in. The new streamlined verification procedures will enable secure and faster processing times for customers departing from Dubai International Airport. The information will then be matched-up with the entry requirements of the destination.

The first passengers travelling from Dubai to Barcelona on Emirates Airlines flight number EK185 got to the try the 'digital passport' to verify and share their pre-travel Covid-19 test status with airlines.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Cruise, a General Motors subsidiary, signed a strategic partnership to operate autonomous vehicles — robotaxis — in the emirates by 2023. As a result, Dubai will be the first city outside the US to operate self-driving Cruise vehicles.

As part of its joint collaboration with PASS and Shamiya and Shuwaikh Co-op, Zain will offer a wide range of smart city solutions that meet the Ministry of Interior’s (MOI) specifications. The partnership aims to enhance the efficiency of traffic safety in the country. 

The first electric firefighting vehicle in the Middle East was launched in Dubai during the Custom Show Emirates at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The use of electric vehicles as a means to cut transport emissions and ride over the fluctuating price and availability of oil is gaining momentum worldwide.

dnata Travel Group, a leading global travel management company, announced its appointment as the exclusive representation partner for Karhoo, a revolutionary ground transportation technology ecosystem, across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar.

As part of its commitment to using technologies that serve time and effort as well as punctuality of operational processes, Road Transport Authority (RTA) is using augmented reality (AR) in the maintenance of the Dubai Tram.

Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has entered into a 15-year contract with Franco-Japanese consortium comprising three companies - Keolis Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering and Mitsubishi to operate its driverless metro and tram networks. The nine-year contract, with a possible six-year extension, is pegged at €125m (542 million dirhams) annually.

Zain Group has announced that its subsidiary Zain Drone has been awarded a contract to perform a precise data acquisition assignment for Kuwait’s Public Authority of Industry. The project will entail conducting an aerial topographical survey using Zain Drone state-of-the-art technology.

Aiming to develop in-car software solutions for Saudi drivers, Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), the Kingdom’s largest mobile network operator, has entered into a partnership with Irish vehicle software firm Cubic Telecom.

Through the partnership, stc hopes to use the software to add a range of in-car services to Saudi vehicles, including an emergency call system which automatically alerts healthcare services in the event of an accident.

Speaking to reporters, Gerry McQuaid, chief commercial officer at Cubic said that they partnered with STC as a premier car integrity partner in Saudi Arabia to enable the customer to benefit from a range of safety, entertainment, and navigation features when they purchase the car.

He also added that the software partnership would help carmakers and third party developers to comply with the strict regulations on connectivity management in Saudi Arabia.

“I can’t give a precise date, but in a not-too-distant future you actually don’t need a driving license, the car will actually drive autonomously for the citizens. That is the big difference,” McQuaid said. “Already software solutions can support this capability, but it does need important regulations to be introduced to start with semi-driving.

Meanwhile, Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom, said, “We are delighted to be working with STC to help car manufacturers activate new opportunities in a very significant market.”

Dr. Sultan bin Saeed, STC’s vice president of business development, said, “Partnering with Cubic enables STC as a digital enabler to simplify the delivery and management of advanced in-car services and gives us a foundation for innovating and meeting the changing needs of customers as new services evolve.”

Cubic Telecom provides connected software solutions in more than 5 million vehicles and devices to at least 100 countries and has already partnered with some of the Gulf region’s largest mobile operators.

Cubic’s software enables zero-touch device registration and in-car connectivity pre-configured for regulatory requirements in the region.

Saud Alsheraihi, GM New Business Development at stc Enterprise division commented, “Partnering with Cubic Telecom to rollout emerging technologies advanced solutions for car manufacturers will further realize the kingdom’s vision of enhancing quality of life by enabling unique experiences to car owners to enjoy vehicle health diagnostics, entertainment and safety features.”

Dubai-based company Location Solutions made an exclusive partnership with Slovenian hi-tech companies AV Living Lab and Nervtech in bringing the first artificial intelligence (AI) driver evaluation hub to the UAE in June 2021.

Keeping up with its vision to lead smart transformation in its ports and logistics hub, DP World, UAE Region, the multinational logistics company, said it has completed the implementation of ZODIAC, a terminal operating system (TOS), in Jebel Ali Port’s Container Terminal 3 (CT3).

Saudi Ground Services (SGS), the national ground services company in Saudi Arabia, operating in 28 airports across the country, has chosen Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to migrate its IT services locally, providing rapid scale of operations, capitalizing on cost effectiveness, and creating a future-ready technology ecosystem.

The city of Dubai has signed an agreement which would map out sky lanes for drones and flying taxis.

In partnership with the Emirate of Sharjah’s Ministry of Health and Prevention, Al Zahia deployed the first driverless car in the UAE to support the health and wellbeing of residents.

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced a contract agreement with Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO), the world’s leading Hyperloop company.

Omantel, the first and leading provider of integrated telecommunications services in the Sultanate, has announced the launch of “Think and Innovate” bus.

Gary West, Managing Director, OnStar Middle East Operations and Future Mobility at General Motors Africa and Middle East, declares that autonomous vehicles in the UAE are the key to 2030 Dubai future vision.

Experts to discuss the impact new modes of transport on future cities at 5th International Conference on Future Mobility

Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO), the world’s leading hyperloop company, today announced the results of a strategic study commissioned to build the world’s first extended test and certification hyperloop track in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study also set out plans for an R&D center and manufacturing facility to support the development of the groundbreaking hyperloop technology.

Cisco announced its range of concepts designed to create a seamless experience for tourists and commuters as they navigate urban cities at Gitex Technology Week 2019.

Following on from a successful trial, the region’s leading carshare operator ekar, has entered into a partnership with on-demand car refueling company CAFU to ensure that its fleet is always ready to roll with a full tank of petrol in each vehicle.

Industry leaders say Dubai is now a global pioneer for the use of autonomous vehicles as part of a futuristic transport network.  

The implementation of AI has been credited with the sharp decline in the number of accidents caused by fatigued bus drivers on Dubai’s congested roads.

Global ride-hailing giant Uber has joined forces with its Middle East competitor Careem and bought it for $1.3 billion.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has reviewed two models of the Sky Pods, a mobility system being tested by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in conjunction with Skyway Greentech Co. The Sky Pods form part of the RTA’s initiatives aimed at addressing the future of Dubai’s mobility needs.

Abu Dhabi International airport is set to launch a ‘first of its kind’ interactive walkway, which will convert the footsteps of passengers into electricity.

Dubai Police stations will soon be equipped with electric vehicle charging stations thanks to a partnership with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The MoU signed on the occasion builds on the strategic partnership between DEWA and Dubai Police to establish a comprehensive plan that supports Dubai's futuristic vision and the shared efforts of DEWA and Dubai Police in promoting sustainability by encouraging the public to use environmentally friendly electric vehicles. The move also supports the strategic objective to promote sustainable development in Dubai.

Dyson confirmed that its board has ratified a decision to construct its first advanced automotive manufacturing facility in Singapore. The bespoke two-storey manufacturing facility is scheduled for completion in 2020.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (Hyperloop TT, HTT) announced the appointment of leading design and engineering firm, Dar Al-Handasah (founding member of the Dar Group), to assist in bringing the Abu Dhabi commercial system to reality.

Schindler, one of the world's leading providers of elevators, escalators, and moving walks, announced two groundbreaking mobility solutions: Schindler Ahead and myPORT at CTBUH (The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) Middle East Conference 2018 held in Dubai.

RTA's Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) has launched "Al Yamama" initiative where DTC's taxis will be fitted with smart cameras. These cameras will monitor the movement of the taxi driver and objects in the interior and exterior of the vehicle.

Etisalat Digital and Ericsson will jointly showcase smart traffic management solutions at GITEX Technology Week 2018.

At an exciting event held at The Pearl, Ooredoo showcased the true power and speed of Ooredoo 5G with smart city technology that will be available in the future.

With the aim of improving Dubai and RTA's reliable school transport service, RTA's Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) announced its plan to run a fleet of 368 buses to lift about 8873 students in 17 schools contracted for the new academic year. The number of buses and schools grew from 270 buses serving 14 schools during the academic year 2016-2017.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is launching a Smart Time Management System (STMS) at venues of various events such as exhibitions and conferences. The system enables RTA to get real time data on numbers of visitors and accordingly deploy the appropriate number of transit means. It also enables passengers to get information on the number of available vehicles along with the expected waiting time.

The Road Transport Authority (RTA) has confirmed that it has commenced trials on 'smart license' plates in Dubai. The Authority has embarked upon a number of highly ambitious and unique transportation projects in the last few years such as autonomous buses and flying taxis. This latest project involving 'smart license' plates is part of Dubai Smart City initiative.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in cooperation with Next Future Transportation, launched the first tests of the world's first autonomous pods on the sidelines of the World Government Summit. The step is part of RTA's efforts under Dubai Future Accelerators initiatives.

Dubai Police has disclosed some of the ambitious and truly revolutionary and innovative measures they plan to introduce to the policing sector in the UAE. Director General of Artificial Intelligence at Dubai Police, Brig. Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi outlined some of the applications it has in the pipeline at the Intersec Artificial Intelligence and Information Security Conference which was held at the Dubai World Trade Center.

Nissan has claimed that electrification is the future and the present of the automotive industry. The Japanese car manufacturing colossus made the declaration at the first edition of ‘The Mobility Conference' which was held at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai confirmed that more than 5,000 heavy vehicles have been fitted with smart monitoring devices that remotely detect vehicle faults and drivers' attitudes on roads. The service, which has been launched via the recently opened Vehicles Safety Center at Jebel Ali Free Zone, has become mandatory to all companies operating trucks exceeding 20 years in service.

Expo 2020 Dubai is joining forces with leading vehicle manufacturer Nissan to demonstrate and showcase the future of intelligent mobility - starting with a fleet that includes electric vehicles.

Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA), has announced that it will accelerate its efforts to deploy autonomous services in 2018 in a bid to make Dubai the 'smartest city' in the world.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has had discussions with Uber regarding boosting cooperation and the initial results of a study for offering new budget mobility products in support of Dubai Vision 2021 with a view to meeting the needs of customers seeking affordable mobility solutions.

Global coffee colossus COSTA has selected Dubai for its innovative testing of its revolutionary new 'drone delivery' service. COSTA embarked on the trial due to customer demand - 82% of its UAE customers said they would use a drone to deliver food and beverages directly to them, and COSTA subsequently decided to undertake a unique trial in Dubai with its 'Drone Drop' service.

Saudi Arabia, the only country in the world that forbids women from driving vehicles, will soon lift the controversial ban - a move that has been welcomed by human rights groups around the world. A decree was issued by Saudi Arabia's King Salman. The announcement comes shortly after the kingdom allowed access to internet video calling services.

UAE ride-hailing services company Careem has invested $500,000 in a start-up entity which focuses on connecting commuters with private buses in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo. Careem, which is seen as Middle East rival to global ride-hailing colossus Uber, acquired the minority stake in SWVL after weeks of negotiations. It has also been disclosed that in addition to the investment, CEO and co-founder of Careem, Magnus Olsson will also join the board of SWVL.

Dubai has established itself as one of the most modern cities in the entire world. Twenty years ago, it was a very different place, but the government decided to embrace technology and innovation to completely transform the city. However, it doesn't intend to rest on its laurels, and the Government of Dubai has expressed its desire to make Dubai the 'smartest city' in the world.

Swedish telecommunications colossus Ericsson delivered a fascinating and thought-provoking presentation on the role it intends to play in relation to providing mobility solutions via connected transportation for Smart Cities. Ericsson hosted the event which was entitled Ericsson Mobility Day: Connected Transportation for Smart Cities at Sofitel the Palm, Dubai. The presentation featured a host of high-profile speakers and experts within the field of mobility and examined the changes that may result from the large-scale uptake of a shared and self-driving fleet of vehicles into urban areas.

The UAE Ministry of Energy has launched an incentive program designed to encourage motorists to buy electric vehicles - as part of the nation's long-term plan for electrification. The incentive program aims to tempt motorists to go electric by introducing zero-carbon emissions electric vehicles through green bank loans, green insurance plans and attractive and affordable prices for electric vehicles.

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has outlined a 'Smart Future' for Dubai's public transportation system - and declared that the government is 'shaping the future' of transportation in order to 'transform' the urban environment in Dubai. His Excellency delivered a wide-ranging speech to attendees at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS) in Abu Dhabi, and claimed that attitudes of both car manufacturers and drivers will need to change as shared mobility becomes the norm.

A Dutch technology firm has secured the contract for a major autonomous transportation project for a new major waterfront currently under construction in Dubai. 2getthere, a world-leading developer of sustainable mobility solutions won the contract in which it will be tasked with the responsibility of delivering a new automated vehicle system in Dubai - that will link the new waterfront lifestyle destination 'Bluewaters' with the city's existing infrastructure in the form of its metro service.

US electrical car maker Tesla has launched its services in the UAE - following an official announcement by Tesla CEO, Elon Musk at the World Government Summit. Tesla has initiated operations in Dubai, and also disclosed plans to open a shop and service station in Abu Dhabi next year.

RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) officials have announced that they have successfully tested a self-driving hover-taxi - and plan to introduce the aerial vehicle to Dubai in July this year. The announcement was made at the World Government Summit in Dubai.

It was disclosed at the World Government Summit that the Chinese manufactured vehicle as part of the UAE’s vision to ensure that by 2030 a quarter of its means of transport is courtesy of self-driving vehicles. However, plans to introduce a self-driving aerial vehicle is a bold and innovative move, as the UAE continue to foster ideas to reduce mobility issues in its cities.

The self-driving hover-taxi is a one-man electrical vehicle and has been developed by Chinese manufacturer E-Hang’ which can travel on a programmed course at 100km/h at an altitude of 300 meters (1,000ft) in a statement released by the RTA at the summit.

All a passenger needs to do in order to get from A-B is select a destination for the autonomous aerial taxi to take off from there, the vehicle will fly the route before being landed in the chosen spot that will be monitored by a ground control center. The autonomous aerial taxi can recharge in just two hours and can undergo journeys for up to 30 minutes.

Head of the RTA, Mattar Al-Tayer said that the product which was exhibited at the World Government Summit was not a model, and that it will make every effort possible to ensure they can introduce the service in July.

He said: "The autonomous aerial vehicle exhibited at the World Government Summit is not just a model. We have already experimented with the vehicle in a flight in the Dubai sky. We’re making every effort as an authority to start the operation of the autonomous aerial vehicle in July 2017 to help reduce traffic congestion."

The quadcopter is powered by eight propellers and contains highly accurate sensors and can resist extreme temperatures -which is an important factor due to the searing heat of the summers in Dubai.

This latest development comes just months after Dubai agreed a deal to partner with a US start-up organization called Hyperloop One to construct a supersonic transport system which would link the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi. Dubai is a massive global tourist attraction both in the Gulf and globally, home to the world’s largest tower the Burj Khalifa, and it attracted a record 14.9 million visitors in 2016.

But will these tourists and residents alike beat the traffic congestion in Dubai by utilizing the self-driving hover-taxi?

Launched by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI), the ‘Dubai AI Seal’ is a newly-introduced, free-of-charge verification system designed to accelerate the growth of Dubai's AI industry. Its goal is to foster trust in credible AI companies, helping to position the city as a global leader in the field.

Dr. Khalfan bin Said Al Shueili, Oman’s Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, has unveiled the blueprint for establishing Oman’s smart cities, incorporating advanced planning, innovative technologies, and sustainability initiatives to transform the country’s urban landscape.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has substantially improved the banking sector’s commercial performance and customer satisfaction while reducing operational processing times by 30%, according to a recent study.

The latest GCC E-Performance Index 2022 reveals that all countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region have performed exceptionally well, displaying significant progress in digital transformation.

As per the GCC E-Performance Index, the UAE achieved tangible growth with an average score of 66.22, followed by Saudi Arabia with an average rating of 59.26 and Qatar with 57.63. Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait scored average ratings of 54.02, 53.43 and 51.36, respectively. The report highlights the increased spending on the latest technological solutions to achieve digitally-inclusive economies.

In terms of ICT spending, by 2024, UAE is estimated to expense US$23 billion, Kuwait will shell out US$10 billion, while Qatar’s spending will be around US$9 billion.

The World Economic Forum highlighted the unique set of characteristics of the GCC countries that presents numerous opportunities for leveraging emerging technological solutions to create opportunities. The introduction of 5G and associated use cases, such as education, health, government and smart cities, can help mitigate some regional and local challenges, including natural resource management and economic diversification, with a view towards sustainable development and inclusive growth.

The GCC region’s ICT development has strengthened the digital economy, enhanced productivity and created efficient means for direct access to government e-services. In fact, governments across the GCC have prioritized digital transformation, keeping it at the core of their economic and social development plans and a key component of their respective Vision 2030 plans.

The GCC E-Performance Index aggregates each country’s performance in the top five global indices: the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2021 by INSEAD, the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2021 by Portulans Institute, the Government AI Readiness Index 2021 (GAR) by Oxford Insights, the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2022 by the United Nations.

The telecommunications industry significantly utilizes the internet of things (IoT), and the latter heavily relies on the former as well. The dependency of telecoms on IoT has attracted more research than the opposite. It is only the use of telecommunications in the Internet of things that is deeply known by many.

The United Arab Emirates has been ranked among the world’s leading countries in various digital life indexes, attributable to the significant advancement of its information and communication technology sector, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has determined.

Strategic implementation of incubation projects and policies and early adoption of the latest in technological advancements have made Dubai the ideal place for tech innovation, a global consulting firm has found.

The annual IPv6 Enhanced Summit was held online on June 23, in its 3rd Middle-Eastern edition, with international and regional industry experts who gave insightful keynotes on the online summit’s main theme “IPv6 Enhanced: Inspiring Innovation, Boosting Middle East Digitalization”.

No more residency stickers for foreigners residing in the UAE as of April 11, 2022, as the government-issued identity card — Emirates ID — would now contain details of a resident's visa status.

Saudi-based ACWA Power Co. has signed a $900 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the NEOM green hydrogen project, according to a bourse filing.

Launched by the ministry of energy and infrastructure, the database is part of the initiatives of the national water and energy demand management programme, and will help gauge energy and water consumption in government buildings and identify buildings with the highest consumption rates to develop rationalisation programmes that help minimise consumption, carbon emissions and operating costs.

In an exclusive interview with Energy Review, Thorsten Schwarz, executive director of Grid Technology & Projects, NEOM Energy & Water shares his views on NEOM’s energy sustainability and the need for collaboration and innovation at scale.

With an aim to harness the potential of big data in supporting government efforts and initiatives, the UAE government development and the Future Office, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) launched the ‘Driving Data for Good’ initiative As part of the ‘Future Partnerships’ initiative.

Etisalat has collaborated with Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) along with Trend Micro Incorporated to launch Cyber Eye – an initiative designed to strengthen the Abu Dhabi Government entities’ cybersecurity capabilities.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), launched the Dubai programme to enable drone transportation.

Abu Dhabi waste management centre (Tadweer) has signed a joint project development agreement (JPDA) with Etihad Airways to facilitate the development of the first waste-to-sustainable aviation fuel (WtF) plant in the Middle East Region.

The University of Birmingham has selected Siemens to create an intelligent campus app that will help make its Dubai campus one of the smartest and most sustainable environments for higher education in the world.

In partnership with China Mobile International (CMI), EVOTEQ is primed to launch a smart bracelet solution powered by Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), a first for the UAE to utilize this technology. Customized to meet the needs of Tandeef, the waste collection division of the Middle East’s sustainability company Bee’ah, the innovative solution aims to enhance the safety and security of street cleaning crew, while improving management efficiency.

The United Arab Emirates Space Agency has announced the commencement of a new Emirati interplanetary mission, designed to further accelerate its space engineering, scientific research and exploration capabilities and drive innovation and opportunity in the country’s private sector.

In light of supporting the digital transformation strategy in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) issues the first license to execute e-signature and trust services to the BENEFIT Company.

Etisalat has partnered with Yale Middle East, one of the oldest international brands in the locking industry, to offer smart locks, accessories and exclusive bundles, providing customers peace of mind and a keyless solution to the main door of their homes. 

AIUT, one of the largest Poland based European system integrators, has partnered with Emicool, a leading district cooling service provider in the region and a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Investments, to develop Emivalve and initiate a phased implementation of it, enabling remotely controlled processes, facilitating instant connection and disconnection through an automated centralized software. 

In Q3 of 2021, Sodexo Middle East will officially launch its state-of-the-art food waste prevention program called WasteWatch. Powered by Leanpath, WWxLP is driven by AI algorithms that provide automated food waste data collections. 

Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), announced that its Cryptography Research Centre (CRC) has launched the UAE’s first secure cloud technologies program which will boost advanced technologies that enhance data privacy and cloud encryption schemes.

Department of eGovernment (DeG), the government entity supporting the digital transformation vision of Sharjah, has signed an agreement with EVOTEQ to deploy its global experience and expertise in cyberspace.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government announced that it will use biometric face recognition (Facial ID) to register customers in the "UAE Pass" application, the first national digital identity and signature solution that enables users to identify themselves to government service providers in all emirates through a smartphone-based authentication.

Building on its efforts to accelerate digital transformation in the emirate, the Department of Government Support – Abu Dhabi (DGS), represented by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), has announced that Abu Dhabi has been overall ranked 11th in the Global Technology Index on the World Digital Competitiveness Yearbook 2020.

The applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) announced that its Cryptography Research Centre (CRC) has launched the first Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) software library in the UAE.

Work is underway to build a quantum computer in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, ushering an important milestone for the region in this breakthrough era in computing.

According to the latest findings revealed by Dell Technologies on its ‘Digital Transformation Index 2020,’ the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to accelerating digital transformation and embracing cutting-edge technologies.

Almost 5 years ago, augmented reality (AR) leaped into our consciousness in the form of a Pokemon GO game where gamers went ga-ga over catching and collecting digitised fictional character Pokemon using their smartphones.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in Egypt signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global technology leader Thales to explore the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country, across various industries.

The Internet landscape in the Gulf region has grown tremendously in time. The latest report by RIPE NCC highlights the market development, infrastructure, and Internet routing within Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.

Global technology company SAP announced that the UAE and Middle East’s government-led digital transformation ranks as the top technology trend of 2021.

Smart Dubai gears up to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its establishment, looking back at a series of achievements it has made along its journey to establish Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world.

The global pandemic has not slowed down Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s digital innovation drive, experts noted during a live online forum hosted yesterday by the Embassy of Italy to the UAE as part of InnovItalyUAE initiative.

It could be argued that without robust cybersecurity infrastructure in place, smart cities would do more harm than good and would be absolutely flawed.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) today announced the launch of AIQ, its Artificial Intelligence (AI) joint venture (JV) company with Group 42 (G42), an Abu Dhabi-based AI and cloud computing company.

Since its inception in Saudi Arabia in 2001, Nokia, the leading global telco, has been supporting operators throughout the Kingdom to enhance their network performance and unique offerings such as data, voice and video applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on entire industries. Working from home and adapting to the ‘new normal’ has been particularly challenging especially when cybersecurity is taken into account. Cybercriminals thrive in chaos and the chaos brought about by the pandemic caused cybercrimes to skyrocket at such an unprecedented rate. 

As rapid urbanization gains ground across the world, smart city development has become absolutely essential to urban planning in the digital era.

CIOMajlis, which functions as a thought leadership and networking hub for senior technology executives to explore business solutions and share experiences, has announced the appointment of Ahmed Al Ahmed, CIO of Nakheel, as its new chairman.

On July 16th, Trace Media, parent company of the Middle East’s leading telecom news platform, Telecom Review, held a webinar, of around 200 attendees, which was endorsed by SAMENA, IPv6 Forum, ETSI EANTC and OMDIA to discuss the latest global trends in the IPv6 industry, as well as the outlook for IPv6+.

Across the Middle East, many countries are now starting to accelerate their economic recovery efforts having put in place strong public health policies to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, has been selected as a strategic ICT technology partner and cloud solution provider by Ankabut, the UAE’s Advanced National Research and Education Network (NREN) offering academic institutions connectivity to other education networks around the world, to deliver cloud-based services in support of the UAE’s educational institutions.

Trace Media, parent company of Telecom Review and Smart Cities World Forums, is hosting a virtual webinar on 16 July about IPv6 to discuss enhanced innovations, policies and the best practices for the 5G and Cloud era.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the United Arab Emirates and The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), signed an agreement on 29 June 2020 to establish an International Center of Digital Innovation, known as I-CoDI.

Smart Dubai has published a report titled ‘COVID-19: City Experience Resilience and Impact Report’, which offers a holistic view of the impact caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and outlines its effects on smart services.

The UAE is a world-renowned leader in adopting smart city technologies and since the novel coronavirus struck the entire world, there has been no better time than now to leverage the opportunities that emerging technologies brings into our lives.

Smart cities are expected to boost lucrative business opportunities across the UAE and the wider GCC region. However, the Internet of Things (IoT), the technology underpinning these complex and interconnected urban networks, offers a considerably expanded attack surface for cyber adversaries of all kinds, according to a report launched today by Digital14, a UAE-based trusted advisor in digital transformation and cyber resilience.

Bee’ah has invited distinguished experts in the UAE across the fields of climate change, sustainability and smart technology to share learnings and insights gathered from the COVID-19 outbreak at the company’s Ramadan Virtual Event.

As technological innovation accelerates towards a more intelligent society, our world is changing every day. Innovations in technology and science have brought us greater convenience and have caused society to evolve but it has also created the digital gap.

With the private sector supporting UAE’s government remote learning initiatives during the closure of universities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic period, Huawei is providing the means for education to continue by delivering free online lectures that will be available for all students.

Dubai Mall retailers have been offered an e-commerce solution in an effort to support the retail industry amid COVID-19 and its impact on businesses.

The digital revolution has exposed abundant value opportunities for companies to raise efficiency and develop new kinds of products, services, and business models. Accenture is the engine to help transform businesses and leverage the new technologies that are disrupting the industry as we know it. Only by building strong innovation capabilities, can companies successfully make the wise pivot and manage disruption. Xavier Anglada is the Strategy & Consulting lead for Accenture in the MENA region, and is leading his team in harnessing the power of innovation and disruption in the digital era. Smart Cities World Forums sat down with Anglada to explore how disruption is playing out in the Middle East, and how companies can leverage new digital technologies to power through their digital transformation journey.

The Smart Dubai Department (Smart Dubai) has implemented a full agenda of activities to mark UAE Innovation Month 2020, with its focus running from February 23-29 to correspond with the emirate’s engagement with the country-wide event.

District 2020 has launched a global entrepreneur programme, Scale2Dubai, which enables start-ups and small businesses to expand internationally by becoming part of its innovation ecosystem.

Amadeus  and Seera Group, the Middle East region’s leading provider of travel and tourism services, have strengthened their partnership to drive technology innovation in the region’s tourism sector.

We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, the most advanced revolution of all time which has been driven by the creation and adoption of emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as Augmented/Virtual reality (AR/VR), among others.

Emaar Properties PJSC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Xiaomi, a global technology leader with the world’s largest Internet of Things (IoT) consumer platform, to launch ‘Emaar Smart Home’ - a new, next-generation product for customers to experience the latest smart home technology powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The global telecom industry is currently experiencing a new age in connectivity, with the impending introduction of the world’s fastest next-generation network, 5G. There is no doubt that this industry will experience yet another era of unprecedented opportunities and innovation.

The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has announced a special platform which they have set up to ensure greater cybersecurity of financial firms within the city.

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DoH) has launched an initiative which aims to improve healthcare and health management in the UAE capital through the use of large-scale genomic data.

Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) has successfully held the ‘ADDATHON Artificial Intelligence’ in Abu Dhabi as it moves ahead with its plans to further enhance government services and meet the continuing needs of the Abu Dhabi community through innovation using Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), a subset of the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to transform a variety of industries. Digital transformation has reverberated across several, if not all, industries and it will definitely continue to do so over the next few years, especially with the rise of 5G network adoption across the globe, it will give IoT the power to function in the best way imaginable.

The government of the UAE has launched a new defense conglomerate called Edge in Abu Dhabi which aims to develop advanced technology for cyber protection, weapon systems and electronic warfare.

The Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) has announced the launch of the Dubai Cyber Think Tank, which aims to develop solutions to prevent cyberattacks and threats.

Veeam is a company that develops backup, disaster recovery and intelligent data management software for a variety of infrastructures, namely multi-cloud. The company entered the market back in 2006 and has since then become a key player in the industry for its work in helping enterprises move towards the Cloud.

AT GITEX this year, tech behemoth Huawei launched DataLake which follows the ‘One Cloud, One Lake, One Platform’ architecture in an effort to help customers innovate their services and increase the value of their businesses based on application scenarios of customers from sectors such as public utilities, finance, transport and manufacturing. 

Cybersecurity leader Palo Alto Networks showcased some of its latest offerings at GITEX Technology Week in Dubai, where Smart Cities World Forums sat down with Ercan Aydin, the firm’s Regional Vice President, Middle East and Africa. In the interview, Aydin talked about the cybersecurity landscape of the region and what the future of the industry holds with regards to artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics.

Abu Dhabi announced the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the first graduate level, research-based AI University in the world. MBZUAI will enable graduate students, businesses, and governments to advance artificial intelligence. 

Facial recognition has become one of the most widely discussed biometric technology solutions in recent months. Those who advocate its use point to its ability to keep us safe. It enhances security systems. Likewise, they highlight the convenience for users. It does not require any physical interaction.

Hikvision, the world’s leading provider for innovative security solutions launched the Hikvision Ecosystem Alliance Event 2019, bringing together government end users, leading technology enterprises, AI Technology professionals, system integrators and over 200 CXO level decision makers, to explore the potential for collaborating and developing new technology opportunities together. 

Many are of the belief that the next big trend in tech is humanity and how we can leverage emerging technologies for the good of humanity.

With the prevalence of smart cities and digital transformation seeping their way into the industry and our lives, the role of telecom operators is becoming more crucial than ever before.

Ren Zhengfei, CEO and founder of Huawei, hosted an open discussion alongside other prominent guests examining the role of innovation and trust in the future of the information, communication and technology (ICT) sector.

Shoppers at Carrefour in Mall of the Emirates may have come across an unconventional member of staff, “Tally”.

Over 300 professionals from the Middle East’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) industry gathered in Dubai to plan out the sector’s path to sustainability with global experts outlining how technological disruption can aid the region’s energy and water conservation drive.

The Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), in partnership with cybersceuirty company Trend Micro, launched the Cyber Defense Challenge.

IQ Fulfillment, the Middle East and North Africa region’s first robotic fulfillment centre, has opened in Dubai.

Intel Corp release its latest processor, a chip known as Nervana NNP-I or Springhill and is designed to be used in large computer centers and will be the first of its kind to use artificial intelligence (AI).

Facebook is announcing two updates to further strengthen Instagram’s security and help protect people who use the platform.

Almost half of businesses in the UAE are struggling with a knowledge gap when it comes to adopting artificial intelligence (AI), according to a survey of business leaders in the UAE, conducted by Vanson Bourne and sponsored by Avaya Holdings Corp.

There are a lot of discussions and demos of smart city technologies today that are enhancing the connectivity of everyday services. At the same time, there are many barriers to creating a truly smart city.

Artificial intelligence, the ubiquitous buzzword that keeps seeping into our everyday conversations and across several industries, carries with it the promise for a better life. It brings about a promise for bettering our lives as individuals, citizens, customers, students and most interestingly of all, as patients.

BeyondTrust’s annual Privileged Access Threat Report highlights that greater privileged access visibility and improved integrations are vital to tackling the modern threat landscape.

The Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, and the world’s leader in digital payments, Visa (NYSE: V), today launched ‘Stay Secure,’ a consumer education campaign that aims to promote safe digital payment (card and mobile) practices among UAE consumers.

Evoteq and Johnson Controls join forces to introduce an end-to-end integrated Artificial Intelligence platform to create smart buildings and districts. 

At AI Everything in Dubai on Wednesday, industry experts spoke about how to train AI to make the world a better place by leveraging it to combat global humanitarian issues.

On Wednesday, at AI Everything in Dubai, a panel discussion took place which consisted of people from a variety of different sectors and they spoke about how AI could improve businesses.

A key executive of US technology behemoth Microsoft has claimed that AI will be the transformational technology that will define our generation and fundamentally reshape how our society will function.

New and emerging cyber attacks have become a big challenge for many organizations of different sizes. Carbon Black is an organization that is dedicated to cyber security and which leverages the power of big data and analytics to help solve challenges that companies may face. Their newly introduced predictive security cloud platform aims at transforming cybersecurity in order to deliver next-generation cloud-delivered security solutions which could essentially protect organizations from the most advanced threats.

In a press conference held in the Ministry of Telecommunications, Mohamed Choucair, Lebanese Minister of Telecommunications, launched the third edition of the Smartex exhibition specialized in the Knowledge and ICT sector, along with Nabil Itani, Director General of the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL); Imad Kreidieh, CEO of Ogero; and Elie Rizk, President of the Lebanese Exhibitions & Conferences Associations (LECA). In the conference was also present Naji Andraos, General director of installation and equipment at the Ministry of Telecommunications; Naji Abboud, Head of Owner Supervisory Board; the Minister’s consultant Nabil Yamout; Camille Moukarzel, President of the Professional Computer Association of Lebanon; and a crowd of heads and members of trade unions and companies involved in the exhibition.

Huawei announced the industry's highest-performance Advanced RISC Machine (ARM)-based CPU. The new CPU, dubbed Kunpeng 920, is designed to boost the development of computing in big data, distributed storage, and ARM-native application scenarios. Huawei will join with industry players to advance the ARM industry and foster an open, collaborative, and win-win ecosystem, taking computing performance to new heights.

Zain Kuwait, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait announces entering an agreement with Zain Drone to undertake inspections of its tower infrastructure. The agreement sees Zain Kuwait as one of the first operators in the MENA region to deploy drone technology to inspect and maintain its cell tower infrastructure, demonstrating the operator’s drive to become a more agile and cost-efficient operator. The agreement also represents the first commercial deal for Zain Drone.

Acronis, a global leader in hybrid cloud cyber protection solutions announced another significant sports partnership during the Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi.

Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced today that Dubai Municipality will explore Smart Cities' innovations to drive water efficiency, at the opening of the Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX).

EITC (du), from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), will build the first Blockchain Platform as a Service in UAE (BPaaS) in partnership with ConsenSys, the leading blockchain solutions provider and venture production studio building decentralized applications and offering an integrated set of solutions for the Ethereum blockchain ecosystem.

Crown Prince of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum opened the second Smart Police Station (SPS) in Dubai at La Mer, Jumeirah, a year after Dubai's first SPS was inaugurated last September at City Walk.

Etisalat Facilities Management, a subsidiary of Etisalat Service Holdings, has signed an agreement with established market leader eSolutions, part of Midis Group and a regional platinum partner of IBM, to jointly offer Smart Integrated Facility Management solutions to achieve cost savings, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

With the aim of helping enterprises address the challenges emerging from the effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) on the underlying infrastructure and processes of IT, Cisco is unveiling its first server built from the ground up for AI and ML workloads.

According to a recent research report from PwC Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to account for approximately 13.6% of the United Arab Emirates' GDP in 2030. However, AI is seen by many as being either a hero or a villain. On one hand, AI is currently driving nearly every CIO's agenda because it intelligently automates work processes, making it possible to do things that have never been done before. But on the other, many workers are scared of the rise of AI as they believe it is rising from humble beginnings to become a villain that will steal their jobs.

Rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions will increase the UAE's GDP by USD 96 billion by 2030, enabling organizations to better meet and predict customer and citizen trends and drive digital business innovation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to boost economic growth in the United Arab Emirates by 1.6 percentage points and add US$182 billion to the national economy by 2035, according to a recent report by Accenture (NYSE: ACN).

Leading global ICT solutions provider Huawei hosted its annual Middle East Partner Summit in Dubai on 7 May. Taking place under the theme 'Leading New ICT, the Road to Win-win Ecosystem', the summit hosted participants from 12 countries across the Middle East who gathered to form a collaborative platform in order to explore the current requirements for a successful digital transformation and ushering in the Artificial Intelligence era, exchange ideas, share success stories and best practices, targeted at empowering Huawei's channel partners in order to increase their ability to cater to the region's increasingly demanding technology innovation needs, and to establish an open and collaborative ecosystem.

Cybersecurity defenses are under unprecedented levels of attack. From old malware foes and newer types, such as ransomware, to sophisticated advanced threats and state-sponsored cyberattacks, breaches are, sadly, now an everyday reality.

The UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence held its first meeting on March 26, cementing the country's status as a trailblazer in the technology sector. The well-being of citizens was the main topic of conversation at the first meeting, and also the Council's objectives in implementing the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence.

Director General of Dubai Municipality, H.E. Eng. Hussain Lootah has officially confirmed that the municipality plans to launch a new data-collection satellite that will provide them with critical information on environmental aspects ranging from sustainability, maritime conditions and air quality in the UAE. In addition to this, it has been further disclosed that the satellite is capable of monitoring the UAE from space.

Political leaders and dignitaries from all across the globe have gathered in Dubai for the sixth annual edition of the World Government Summit. The three-day event aims to examine and explore how digitalization of traditional industries will transform and completely revolutionize societies as we know them.

The CEO of SAP, Bill McDermott has stated that the introduction and subsequent integration of Artificial Intelligence will help accelerate and achieve the ambitious national development goals and objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. In addition to this, McDermott believes AI will serve as the perfect foundation for smart city NEOM which is located in the country's Tabuk region.

The Dubai Police General HQ has launched the "Oyoon" (Eyes) project which aims to create an integrated security system using sophisticated technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) features to prevent crime, reduce traffic related deaths and negative incidents.

Chinese telecommunications vendor Huawei has announced a series of new partnerships with leading ICT players in the Middle East region in a bid to make 'smart cities' safer. Huawei revealed that it will deliver tailored public safety solutions necessary in order to meet the demands presented by increased urbanization in the fact of smart city transformation.

The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced the launch of the UAE Hackathon, the country's biggest data analysis challenge, which will be held in all emirates next February, in conjunction with the innovation month.

PwC is one of the leading professional services networks in the world, helping to build trust and solve some of the region's most important problems. The firm works with governments and enterprises in the Middle East to completely transform their business models and embrace digital transformation.

The Smart Dubai Office (SDO) has partnered with regional technology business solutions provider Nearbuy to host a trial of the first 'robot receptionist' in the Middle East. Farah, which stands 1.50 metres tall, started work on November 26 at the Smart Dubai Office headquarters in the Dubai Design District.

Huawei exhibited its latest security solutions at the RSA Conference 2017 in Abu Dhabi on November 16, including the CloudFabric Security Solution and the CloudCampus Security Solution, together with an extended portfolio of Huawei security products and solutions.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced today its participation at RSA® Conference 2017 Abu Dhabi, the region's premier security conference and exposition, which aims to connect attendees with the people and insights that will empower them to stay ahead of cyber threats.

Budget pressures and customer/citizen demands are driving GCC nations to embrace digital transformation, according to Deloitte's 2017 National Transformation in the Middle East report. Digital transformation is playing a fundamental role in shaping the way governments across the world are adapting to new opportunities and challenges, and the GCC is no exception.

Solving complex crimes in heavily populated centers requires advanced security technologies and an adequate police force. Public security agencies are now exploring Safe City platforms that use the latest security technologies to improve efficiency, high-tech crime detection, and crime prevention, and expand police services on demand.

Global blockchain specialist firm ConsenSys is launching the first cohort of its ConsenSys Academy Developer Program on August 1st, 2017. The ConsenSys Academy Developer Program is a first-of-its-kind, end-to-end blockchain training program. It begins with Phase1, an immersive online module that will kick off with a welcome video from Joseph Lubin, the co-founder of Ethereum and founder of ConsenSys.

SAP is partnering with oil giant Saudi Aramco in creating a new solutions platform to enable Saudi Aramco to launch a digital business marketplace with thousands of Saudi Aramco buyers and suppliers in partnership with SAP Ariba.

Gulf Air recently revealed a cybersecurity step-change as part of an ongoing campaign to safeguard its operations and deliver industry-leading customer service. The national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain has reinforced its network perimeter to pre-empt and combat Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, improve data centre and application-level security and further enhance data and access protection measures.

Zain, Kuwait's leading telecommunications company, today announced their collaboration to launch a new cloud disaster recovery service that will provide IBM and Zain's enterprise customers with cloud-based business continuity capabilities and faster disaster recovery of their critical IT systems, without incurring the infrastructure expense of a second physical site. Through the new service, customers will benefit from the added flexibility of keeping their data in-country on IBM Cloud.

LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network has confirmed that the UAE is the most connected country in the world. The information released by LinkedIn accurately reflects the innovative and dynamic nature of the UAE.  The professional networking decides to publicly disclose the figures after it emerged that it had reached a milestone of 500 million members across 200 countries. The professional networking site has 22 million members in the MENA region alone.

The UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science has announced that it is set to introduce eco-friendly drones to electrically seed clouds as part of the nation's weather bureau experiments. The UAE has been experimenting with new cloud-seeding methods and technology in order to feed rainwater to parched reaches of the region- and it has now revealed its exciting new experiment which will include the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for seeding.

Under the theme "Leading New ICT, The Road to Collaborative Public Safety", Huawei Global Safe City Summit 2017 will be held in Dubai, UAE from April 26-27. The event will bring together leading enterprises, industry experts, and partners from across the world to explore the trends and challenges of digital transformation within the public safety industry, as well as share innovative technology application practices.

The creation of technologies to make our cities and everyday lives smarter is a growing reality - not least with emerging 5G broadband technology and the growing applications within the Internet of Things (IoT). But as these smart applications grow, both in their innovation and scope of use, so does the need to build a partnership ecosystem through which we can roll out innovations that are leading to nothing less than a digital transformation.

A group of telecommunication experts have discussed the 'challenges' and 'opportunities' in a data-driven world at the world's first ever forum on Data Management. The event was a joint-collaboration between the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) which was held in Dubai, UAE.

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Director General, H.E. Mr. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori believes that governance frameworks and policies need to be properly established to ensure data is exchanged and shared effectively in order to drive innovation, creativity, enterprise and create new ecosystems.

American networking equipment firm Linksys have introduced their innovative VELOP system to the Middle Eastern market to much fanfare in Dubai. The new product is a complete wireless and wired solution that is simple to use, exceedingly fast - and provides 100% speed to the edge of the network. It is being hailed as the first true Whole Home Wi-Fi system that is set to revolutionize the Wi-Fi experience for ‘The Connected Family'.

Securing the Internet of Things will drive New Kuwait 2035's national digital transformation, said one of the world's leading cyber security experts on the sidelines of his talk at KIACS Cyber Security in Kuwait.

SAP had a strong presence at Mobile World Congress this year, featuring a connected car demo, a connected stadium demo, and an announced collaboration with Apple to deliver the expanded SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS. In addition, SAP named its new Head of Telco for the MENA region, Mr. Bulent Unsal, who said the Middle East and North Africa is an important region for the company where it has formed partnerships with local telcos to implement smart city solutions.

Dubai's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has hosted the world's first ever forum on Data Management. The event was a joint collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) who hosted the inaugural forum under the slogan of 'Transforming data into value, expanding the IoT potential with a special focus on Smart Cities'. The forum welcomed participation from a wide group of experts and decision-makers from around the world, as well as many UAE government entities and private sector companies.

Having transformed Istanbul into a 'city brand', Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) has signed a cooperation agreement for a smart city consultancy project with Ericsson. Under the umbrella of the Istanbul Informatics and Smart City Technologies (ISBAK AŞ) company, the IMM and Ericsson will work together to achieve Istanbul's smart city vision and 2024 targets.